GLOBAL: China still driving Asia-Pacific spirits growth - figures

Nearly 40% of global spirits consumption is now in China, with the Asia-Pacific region continuing to shore up a struggling Europe, latest figures show.

Consumption in the Asia-Pacific region grew by 2.7% last year to 1.92bn nine-litre cases, according to IWSR data, released yesterday (11 June). This helped push up total global spirits consumption by 1.6% to 3.07bn cases.

In Europe, meanwhile, drinkers consumed 6.5m less cases, IWSR said.

Seven of 2012's top ten growth spirits markets were in Asia-Pacific while France, Spain, Germany and Italy were among the biggest fallers, according to the IWSR data.

China now accounts for 38% of all spirits consumption and India 9.8%.

Globally, baijiu saw the biggest growth, rising by 23.9m cases to 1.16bn cases, with the majority of growth coming from China.

The second largest growth category was brandy, excluding Cognac and Armagnac, increasing by 12.5m cases. Brandy's main growth was in India and the Philippines.

Shochu/soju, the top spirits in South Korea and Japan, grew 5.7m cases. Whisk(e)y – not from Scotland, the US, Canada or Ireland – grew by 5m cases thanks to continued growth of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) whisky in India.